Rokform Universal GoPro Mount Review

Today we’re taking a look at the Rokform Universal GoPro Mount. The idea of this mount is simple, but it really does help you get the shot you want. In case you don’t know who Rokform is, they make smartphone cases, mounts, screen protectors, and much more. Rokform created a universal adapter which attaches to their smartphone cases. The universal adapter allows you to attach the Rokform GoPro Mount to the back of the smartphone case. Not only can the universal adapter be used with a GoPro, it can also be mounted on many other things, such as handle bars or a car dashboard.

The Rokform GoPro Mount is made from aircraft grade aluminum, it’s lightweight, and compact. The mount itself only weighs 50.7 grams, but when you have it all ready to go, it is a bit front heavy. You have to remember, there’s the smartphone, the smartphone case, the GoPro mount, the GoPro, and the GoPro waterproof case. It’s not a bad thing, if anything it makes it feel more secure in your hands. I didn’t find it difficult to use, but it is just something to keep in mind. One way to shave off some weight from the setup is to use the GoPro Frame instead of the waterproof housing. The included Rokform lanyard attaches to the smartphone case and can be worn on your wrist.

The mount has two thumbscrews which allows you to pivot the GoPro to get upward or downward angles. The GoPro can be mounted onto the back of your smartphone either in vertically, or horizontally. The Rokform GoPro mount needs to line up with the universal adapter, and then twisted clockwise to lock it in, see the GIF above. Keep in mind, in the GIF you see the two thumbscrews on the same side. If you use this setup it makes it harder to tighten the thumbscrews since they are so close together. What you need to do is flip the thumbscrews, and have them each on opposite sides. Once the GoPro mount is locked into the smartphone case, it feels safe and doesn’t seem like the GoPro mount would just pop out. However, I did notice that the mount does have some wiggle room. I don’t think this affects your footage in any way. Since the GoPro, the case and the mount have a bit of weight to them, it sits firmly in the universal mount. It is only when you deliberately move the GoPro around when you notice the wiggle room.

The feel of the Rokform case in your hand is comfortable, and the lock and volume buttons have wedges in them making it easy to identify which buttons you’re pressing. It is a pretty rugged case, so you don’t have to worry about your screen cracking if it’s dropped (not personally tested). I didn’t really want to turn this into a review of the Rokform Galaxy S5 case, but it is required for this setup, so I thought it was necessary to talk a little about the case. Rokform also makes a bike mount that I am currently looking into. I linked to the whole kit, but since I already have the Galaxy S5 case, and universal adapter, all I would need is the bike mount.

Now, my personal experience with the Rokform mount. If you watched the video above, you saw me using the mount while skateboarding. It was really easy to use, especially since the Galaxy S5 has a large screen. I was able to see what I wanted to shoot right then and there. I like how the Rokform mount makes it easy to pivot the camera to get different types of angles. I also tried setting up the GoPro to get a timelapse of the ocean, as seen in the picture below. I just propped it up on some stairs, and angled it the way I wanted. You could also flip the camera, and get an upward angle of the clouds.

There is a limitation though, and it’s not with the Rokform product, but rather with the GoPro. In case you are not aware of this, when you stream your GoPro over WiFi to your smartphone, there is a delay. Approximately a 1 second delay with the HERO4, and up to 2.5 seconds with the HERO3 and HERO3+. Down below I’m trying to get a close up of my Rebel T4i, and I’m only focusing on what I see through the GoPro app. I end up going right into the T4i, because of that 1 second delay. Once I realized, I backed up.

I also tried grabbing some pictures using the Rokform mount. I switched over from video mode to picture mode right from my phone, and started taking pictures. What I really found helpful was that the screen was big enough to know exactly what I was taking a picture of. Don’t get me wrong, the GoPro LCD BacPac is great and there isn’t any delay, but the screen is small. I also find it easier to switch between video resolutions and frame rates from my smartphone, rather than the LCD BacPac.

Overall I think it’s a really great product, and if you’ve been looking into getting something like this, then I think it is worth it. Especially since the Rokform universal adapter has many different uses.